Cozonac with a filling of walnuts, almonds, and halva

Name: Cozonac with a filling of walnuts, almonds, and halva - Norica N.
Ingredients: 250 ml warm milk; 2 tablespoons sour cream; 1 tablespoon butter; 2 egg yolks (I used homemade); 5 tablespoons sugar; 1 pinch of salt; 500 g flour; 1 small cube of fresh crumbled yeast. For the filling: 100 g almonds; 200 g walnuts; 150 g halva (made from sesame seeds and almonds from Lidl); 3 egg whites; 1 pinch of salt. For brushing on top: 1 egg yolk; 2 tablespoons milk; a few pinches of raw sugar. For decoration: almond slivers.

Dessert - Cozonac with a filling of walnuts, almonds, and halva by Norica N. - Recipia

This sweet bread appeared at a time when I had almost a whole package of halva and not many people to eat it. Since almonds are among the ingredients I use most often, I added them both to the filling and on top. I made the dough in the bread machine, then rolled it out, filled it, and baked it in a large silicone loaf pan. The combination of walnuts, almonds, and halva creates a rich bread, perfect for serving with milk. Quick Info Total time: not specified exactly; includes dough rising, 15 minutes of rising in the pan, 30 minutes of baking, and 10-15 minutes of resting in the turned-off oven Preparation time: kneading and first rising times are not specified Baking time: 30 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius Servings: not specified; depends on the thickness of the slices Difficulty: medium Recipe type: homemade sweet bread with walnuts, almonds, and halva Ingredients For the dough 250 ml warm milk 2 tablespoons sour cream 1 tablespoon butter 2 egg yolks 5 tablespoons sugar 1 pinch of salt 500 g flour 1 small cube of fresh yeast, crumbled For the filling 100 g almonds 200 g walnuts 150 g halva made from sesame seeds and almonds 3 egg whites 1 pinch of salt For brushing on top 1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons milk a few pinches of raw sugar For decoration almond slivers Preparation method 1. Preparing the dough in the bread machine Add the ingredients for the dough to the bread machine pan in the order listed above: warm milk, sour cream, butter, egg yolks, sugar, salt, flour, and crumbled fresh yeast. Start the appropriate program for kneading and rising. If the bread machine is not used for rising, leave the dough in a warm place, covered with a kitchen towel, until it triples in volume. The rising time is not fixed, as it depends on the kitchen temperature and how active the yeast is. 2. Preparing the filling Grind the walnuts and almonds. Break the halva into pieces and chop it in a food processor. Combine everything in a bowl and mix. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, then fold them into the mixture of walnuts, almonds, and halva. The filling should be homogeneous and firm enough to spread on the dough. 3. Rolling and shaping Once the dough has tripled in volume, turn it out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Roll it out into a sheet, then spread the filling evenly over the entire surface. Roll the dough up, and place the resulting log into a loaf pan. For this quantity, a large silicone pan was used. 4. Second rising Let the sweet bread sit in the pan in a warm place for another 15 minutes. During this time, it will rise a bit more before being brushed and placed in the oven. 5. Brushing and decorating Mix the egg yolk with the two tablespoons of milk. Brush the sweet bread with this mixture, then place a few almond slivers on top. Gently press the almonds into the dough to secure them. Brush the sweet bread again with the egg yolk and milk mixture, then sprinkle a few pinches of raw sugar on top. 6. Baking Place the pan in the preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius and bake the sweet bread for 20 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, take a piece of parchment paper, quickly run it under water, and wring it out well. Place the damp paper over the sweet bread, and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes. This step helps prevent the top from browning too much while the sweet bread continues to bake. After the 10 minutes, turn off the heat. Leave the oven door ajar, and let the sweet bread sit inside for another 10-15 minutes. 7. Cooling Remove the sweet bread from the pan and place it on its side. Allow it to cool completely before slicing. It is important not to cut it immediately after baking, as the filling is still soft and the slices may deform. Why I make this recipe often This recipe is a great solution when I have leftover halva and want to use it in a baked dessert. The almonds and walnuts give the filling substance, while the halva adds sweetness and a distinct sesame flavor. There's no need for a separate cream or complicated ingredients. Plus, the dough can be prepared in a bread machine, which shortens the manual work. Tips and variations Tips The milk should be warm, not hot. If it's too hot, it may affect the yeast. The dough should be allowed to rise until it triples in volume, not just until it puffs up slightly. The duration varies depending on the room temperature. The almonds on top should be pressed slightly into the dough after the first brushing. This way, they adhere better and won’t fall off when sliced. The parchment paper should be dampened and wrung out before covering the sweet bread. It should not be placed wet with excess water on the dough. After baking, the sweet bread should cool on its side, as indicated in the original recipe. It should only be sliced after it has completely cooled. Substitutions The halva used is the one made from sesame seeds and almonds, purchased from Lidl. The recipe does not specify an alternative, but it is important for the halva to be chopped before mixing, regardless of the form in which it is purchased. If you don't have a bread machine, the dough can be kneaded by hand and allowed to rise in a warm place, covered with a towel. This is just a change in the kneading method; the ingredients and quantities remain the same. Variations The filling can be spread in a thinner or thicker layer, depending on how much filling you want in each slice. The quantities provided are for this sweet bread, and there’s no need to adjust them. For decoration, almond slivers are pressed lightly into the dough. You can also just keep the raw sugar on top if you don't want to add whole almonds, but the original decoration includes these almonds. Serving ideas The sweet bread is served after it has cooled completely, plain, alongside a cup of milk. The milk balances the sweet and dense filling. The slices can be cut thinner, as the filling with walnuts, almonds, and halva is quite filling. Frequently asked questions How long should the dough rise? The recipe does not specify an exact number of minutes. The dough should be left in a warm place, covered with a towel, until it triples in volume. The duration can vary depending on the kitchen temperature and the yeast. Can I make the dough without a bread machine? Yes. The dough can be kneaded by hand and then left to rise in a warm place, covered. In the bread machine version, the ingredients are added in the order listed for the dough. Why is the sweet bread covered with damp parchment paper? The damp and wrung-out parchment is placed after the first 20 minutes to prevent the top from browning too much during the last 10 minutes of baking. When can I slice the sweet bread? After it has completely cooled. Once removed from the pan, it should be placed on its side and allowed to cool before slicing. What kind of pan is used? In the original recipe, a large silicone loaf pan was used. It is important that it is large enough to accommodate the rolled dough and allow it to rise during baking. Nutritional values The values are approximate and depend on the type of halva, the size of the eggs, the exact amount of sugar in tablespoons, and the thickness of the slices. For 100 g of sweet bread, the estimate is approximately: 350-380 kcal 45-50 g carbohydrates 9-11 g protein 17-20 g fat The calculation is indicative, as the recipe does not specify the final weight of the sweet bread or the number of slices. The nuts, almonds, halva, butter, and eggs primarily contribute to the fat and protein content, while the flour and sugar contribute to the carbohydrate intake. Storage and reheating After completely cooling, the sweet bread should be stored covered to prevent it from drying out. It is preferable to slice it only as it is served, as the cut side dries out more quickly. For serving, the slices can be allowed to reach room temperature. The original recipe does not include a reheating step, and the sweet bread is presented as being served cold or at room temperature, alongside milk.

Cozonac with a filling of walnuts, almonds, and halva

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